Amy Kleinhans-Curd stole our hearts 30 years ago when she stared adversity in the face. She is much more than a beauty queen, and ‘mom’ might be her favourite title to date…

She was crowned the first Miss South Africa of colour in 1992, paving the way for women such as Tamaryn Green and Liesl Laurie with a dream of  representing their country both locally and internationally. While that is how many have come to know her, it is not the only reason she has remained relevant and loved for the past 30 years. She is a successful businesswoman, a teacher, a philanthropist, but of all her titles, Amy Kleinhans-Curd (53) is most proud to be called mom and wife. She has an extremely busy schedule and is always juggling commitments, but when it comes to her family, there is nothing more important. In a time when many women often feel as if they are drowning trying to balance work, family life and having some time left for themselves, Amy manages to make it work.

Apart from the love and support of her family, she credits the strong tribe of like- minded women around her for sustaining her and keeping her grounded. She is part of a few groups where women come together and create safe spaces for each other to release, be heard and held accountable. ‘I have always kept a strong circle around me, whether it is my family or my friends. I have two specific groups that really help me to grow as a mom, wife and businesswoman,’ she says confidently with a radiant smile on the other side of a Zoom call. ‘I have one group that I get together with twice a year. They are all from big industries and we go on these retreats where we create a safe space to be a sounding board for each other to speak about whatever is happening in our life or business at the time. We listen and we tell each other what we need to hear, not what we want to hear. It is really about holding each other accountable in an uplifting manner.’

In her second group, Amy gets together with another group of inspiring women to do art. ‘We all paint and sketch and express ourselves on canvas. It is actually very therapeutic and lots of fun. The entire energy is uplifting and creates another soft space to express and hold each other. It has really been a saving grace for me at times to have these groups of like-minded women who help me grow.’

This mom and grandmother is a strong believer that when your cup is full, you can be a better person and give more to those around you. It is by creating these spaces to take care of herself that she is able to be the supportive mom, wife, sister, grandmother and daughter she strives to be. Even if her kids are now older and more independent these days, she considers it a blessing to have her children be so close to her. Amy has been a foster mother to Gugu (37) since the age of nine and loves being ‘Gogo’ to Gugu’s children. She also has two other adult children, Phillipa (24) and Thomas (22). Her baby and sporting best friend is Georgia (15).

‘During lockdown I was lucky to have my adult kids at home with me. It was so nice to have that quality time with them and get to know each other on a deeper level again, because there weren’t many outings with friends happening,’ Amy giggles.

‘We love being together as a family and even now that they are starting jobs and live in their own cottages on the farm, once or twice a week I invite them over to my house for dinner. On these nights, I will cook a hearty family meal and we will sit around the table for hours chatting, laughing and just sharing the meal. That is such a blessing to me. I love watching this next phase of their lives unfold and I can’t wait for the weddings and children to come.’

Amy is very active in her children’s lives and playfully admits to sometimes being a little too enthusiastic, especially next to the sports field. Whether it is hockey or water polo, Amy hardly ever misses a match, and is quick to sing her daughter’s praises for being great at sport. She recognises the same drive and independence in her children that she has, and she has had to remind them to know when it is time to give your body a rest and when it is time to push.

Her face lights up when she talks about her children, but she exudes a childlike excitement talking about her toddler grandson and eight-week-old granddaughter, who will be visiting around Easter.

‘It really feels as though I get to be a kid all over again. We roll down the big slip-and-slide hill in our yard and we just spend hours playing and having fun,’ she says with excitement in her eyes. ‘I’m going all out for Easter with a big Easter-egg hunt and all the trimmings. It will be at my house and we will have all the kids and family over.’

Of course, no celebration in Amy’s house-hold is complete without a bottle of her Amelia Brut Rosé Méthode Cap Classique (MCC). She and her husband Leighton’s award-winning Chardonnay has been a popular ingredient in MCC for years and being a bubbly lover herself, they decided it is time to make their own limited-edition celebration drink. The label features a painting she painted herself, and it is the only MCC produced in the Swellendam area, where the farm is situated.

‘We had the people with the expertise and we love bubbles, so I thought why not? It is a lovely symbolism of celebration in our lives. I love making people feel happy. Amelia is something special and I love that I get to share it with my loved ones.’

Aside from winemaking, they also export pomegranates and Amy enjoys peaceful mornings visiting the farm in the Overberg and walking around with the farmer. Being a teacher, she is always eager to learn and understand every aspect of their businesses. She might be a successful businesswoman and motivational speaker, but she will always have a passion for teaching and these days due to more virtual learning spaces, there is an even bigger need for their Dial-A-Teacher and other shared learnership offerings.

Whether it is family or business, Amy always leads with passion and a lot of that has to do with her attitude. She consciously chooses to be the main creative force in her life and live beyond the stress of everyday life.

‘The only choice we really have in life is our attitude towards the situations we find ourselves in. Every morning I have a two-minute cold-water shower, to wake me and energise me for the day. I also pray for the Lord’s divine synchronicity over my life. This means that if I am late, miss something or bump into someone, I find great relief in believing that it is exactly how it should be and that it was set out for me,’ says Amy.

‘I really am a believer that you can’t know happiness without sadness and you can’t be positive without being in contact with your negativity. I also make a point of trying to recognise the blessings in the crisis and that is how I try to deal with the daily obstacles that bring anxiety. This is what I’m trying to teach my kids too and at the end of the day, that is all you can do.’ It isn’t always easy, but with the right attitude and circle around you, Amy believes you can create more happy than sad days for you and those around you.

Text: Tarren-Lee Habelgaarns; Stylist: Amy Steenkamp; Photographer: Peet Mocke/hmimages.co.za; Hair and Make-up: Michelle Moolman